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00:00:00 – 00:15:13
The video explores Jacques Derrida's concept of "pharmacon" from his book "Dissemination." Initially, David introduces this term, analogous to a dual-natured "drug" that is both remedy and poison, to explain Derrida's stance on writing's role in philosophy. While traditionally, Plato is interpreted as favoring speech over writing because it allows immediate dialogue and truth-seeking, Derrida contests this by revisiting Plato's dialogues, particularly "Phaedrus," to reveal a nuanced view. A myth involving Toth, the demigod of writing, and Thamus, an Egyptian king, is used to illustrate writing's complexities: Toth sees it as liberating, and Thamus views it as intellectually limiting.
Derrida critiques the traditional philosophical bias that deems writing inferior to speech. He suggests that Plato acknowledged writing's value under certain conditions, likening the pursuit of wisdom and inscribing truth on the soul to a form of writing. Derrida further asserts that all forms of communication, including speech, share characteristics with writing, thus challenging the hierarchy between them. He explains that meaning in language is relational, without inherent truths, emphasizing the interconnected nature of words and concepts.
Ultimately, Derrida's idea that "there's nothing outside of the text" encapsulates his argument: all forms of expression are subject to the same interpretive processes. The video concludes with a brief note on the ongoing dialogue about these philosophical ideas and encourages audience engagement.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker, David, introduces the concept of Jacques Derrida’s “pharmacon” from Derrida’s book “Dissemination.” David explains that Derrida uses Plato’s text to argue that writing holds a dual position in philosophy: it is both integral to the pursuit of truth and external to it. He compares the term “pharmacon” to the word “drug” in modern usage, highlighting its dual meaning as both remedy and poison. David addresses the misconception that Plato despised writing, explaining that Plato saw it as a “dead language” because it does not allow for immediate response or interaction.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on Plato’s influence on philosophy, especially through to Hegel, emphasizing the idea that arriving at truth requires a dialogic, immediate encounter with another person. Ancient interpretations of Plato argued that speech is the only way to reach truth, whereas writing is inadequate because it doesn’t allow for immediate response. Derrida challenges this by referring to the original Greek texts, particularly Plato’s “Phaedrus,” interpreting it as a defense rather than a criticism of writing. In “Phaedrus,” Socrates criticizes Phaedrus for reciting Lysias’s text instead of engaging in original thought, suggesting this practice impedes the pursuit of truth. Socrates then tells a mythological story involving the demi-god Thoth and the sun god Thamus to illustrate the perceived limitations of writing.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses a debate between Toth, the demigod of writing, and Thamus, an Egyptian king, regarding the value of writing. Toth argues that writing will free people’s minds to pursue more meaningful endeavors, while Thamus believes writing will cause intellectual regression by making people reliant on written records rather than memory. The term “pharmacon,” used by Plato, is key to this debate, as it can be translated to mean both a cure and a poison. This dual interpretation highlights the ambiguity in Plato’s view on writing. Derrida suggests this ambiguity underscores a larger philosophical bias, which treats writing merely as a supplement to speech, traditionally seen as the true path to knowledge.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, it is discussed how Derrida interprets Plato’s views on writing. Contrary to a common belief that Plato disparaged writing in favor of speech, Derrida suggests that Plato actually valued writing when it was done in a certain way. An example provided is Socrates’ idea of truth being inscribed on the soul, implying that the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is akin to a form of writing. Derrida also highlights a myth relayed by Socrates as a form of reading and writing to arrive at truths about writing. He argues that writing holds potential for truth and questions why writing has been historically deemed inferior to speech in philosophy. According to Derrida, all communication, including speech, can be seen as a form of writing and shares its characteristics. This perspective challenges the traditional hierarchy between speech and writing by suggesting they are fundamentally similar. Consequently, Derrida’s famous assertion that “there’s nothing outside of the text” is explained to mean that attributes applied to writing also pertain to speech and everything else in terms of meaning and interpretation.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the speaker delves into the concept of meaning and context in language, emphasizing that no word has an inherent truth and is defined only in relation to other words. The discussion touches on Derrida’s ideas about writing, portraying it as a dual entity—both a cure and a poison. The speaker highlights how the act of subordinating writing in favor of speech is an arbitrary construct, illustrating the fragility and interdependence of binary terms. This concept is related to Derrida’s notion of deconstruction, which shows how the seemingly privileged term relies on the subordinated term for its status. The speaker then relates this to the idea of a pharmakon, an entity that can be both beneficial and harmful. The segment concludes with a mention of an upcoming video for further exploration of the topic and an invitation for viewer engagement.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the speaker encourages listeners to share their thoughts and reviews if they have listened to the content in podcast form, noting that reviews are helpful. The segment concludes with the speaker thanking the audience and wishing them well.